AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1880, 2 December 1887, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

At the last meeting of the Wallace County Council the small birds question received some attention. Mr Hamilton warned the settlers that if unified action wore not taken at once in two yearh' time they would neither be able to grow grain or green crops. If step? had been taken to check tho evil when he Drought the matter before the council three years ago, they would have been able to extcmiinafco the pest. Ho moved that the council offer 2d per dozen fi>r thu eggs and 2d per head for birds up to £20. Some discussion ensued, the general opinion being that poisoning was the only effectual method of dealing with tho pest, and the motion, on being put to the meeting, was declared lost, The first annual report of the Aparima Dairy Factory Company is by no means satisfactory to the shareholders, a large loss being shown by the balance sheet. This is attributed to two causes —the fall in the price of cheese, and the fact that the factory was not opened until the season was well advanced. The report says : — " During the season 49,188 gal of milk were received. Twenty-two tons of cheese were manufactured, of which a considerable portion is still on hand, pending advice as to most suitable market. The directors have been testing the following markets with consignments— viz., Brisbane, Adelaide, Calcutta, and London. Attempts to find a market at a remunerative figure have been made in Oamaru and Wellington, but without any measure of success." The chairmau vStated that he did not see where the money was to come from to make more than one payment for milk this season, uutil they were atye to sell more cheese, as their account at present was overdrawn to the full extent the bank would allow. The cost of making cheese last season had been lfd per lb, while it was not expected to cost more than Id per lb. This cost could bo greatly reduced during the present season if the farmers would increase their milk supply . The company had intended shipping a quantity of cheese by the Balmoral Castle, but, an the suggestion of Mr Turnbull, theyhadseutit Home in the cool chamber of the Rimutaka instead, and the balance of the cheese would be sent as soon as tho timber iv tho cases dries. In order to utilise the waste whey it was resolved to advertise for pig-> to consume it at 3d per head per week. The North Ofcago Times thinks the Otago A. and P. Association made a mistakes in not encouraging a better attendance on the first day of the show. Our contemporary fays: — "It was a matter for general remark that the receipts of tho Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association at their show held on Wednesday Thursday were almost next to nothing on the first day. An impression seems to prevail that the admission of the general public on the first day would interfere with theju'lgingof the stock. This is not the experience or the Oamaru Association, and even if it did interfere with the judging, it would only be to a small extent, and that only ho far as the sheep are concerned. A large number of people are interested in Ayrshire cittle, and they are debarred from the opportunity of watching the judging of this class of stock, although their preseuce around the ring would not. interfere, with the judges. Besides all this, there is the important, question of the receipts. H the Dunedin Association were, to make the charge for admission, on the first day the same as at Oamaru their receipts, we fenl certain, would be much larger than they are, and it is is only by having fchij available funds that the success of. the show can be increased or even maintained. The show carfcaiuly is yearly increasing In attractiveness, but by following out the system in vogue at Oamaru the association would show larger receipts, besides placing the opportunity of observing the judging of part of the stock within the reach of all who are more or less interested. The charge for admission on the first day is a prohibitive one, and only those who are immediately interested are present." One of the most terrible instances of the destructive forei 1 . of lightning ever recorded happened on May 17 last at the farm of Bksjesdam, in tho division of Victoria West, Cape Colony. On th<*. evening of that day, a flock of K3ofiW«s, belonging to TJr Thompson, tiie owner of the farm, came round a sinni! building for shelter, a* it wasraitiiup bird, rhij ligainiug, which ho .i been for soiir- rime luriiu'c, struck the boil'Huj, tearing ami smashing doors awl walls, aiH killing iv an infant 780 out of 1 he iloukci 1-J3O sheep. After this fri^hr.ful loas-, Mr Tb jmpaou was busied win IS men foi no l«s^ tl.»'i ttuvtt days f-'kiimieg fee deid Sicrnis i<i South AMca are remarkable for their force and vehe-

mence. Such an instance of wholesale destruction by lightning is, however, unprecedented. The exhibits of batfcef at the Bhow just over were (says the tfamdrti Mail) ot such a superior quality that there c'ati nd longer be any doubt as to the capability of this district to produce an article of remarkable excellence atadstfeh as would realise high prices in Great Britain and in those other countries that are dependent upoti butter supplies from abroad. The butter producing capacity of this part of the colony is immense. All this is necessary is care iv making and the opening up of markets under some plan that would secure to the producer fair returns. Those who ought to possess an intelligent knowledge of this subject state that outlets could be fatted for all the butter New Zealand is capable of producing beyond what is required for home consumption, and that it is- only necessary to establish agencies in outside markets for the sale of our surplus. It is very encouraging to receive such an assurance, for it means that there is ample scope for the remunerative employment of our people and our lands, and that all we have to do is to exercise care iv preparation and to satisfy the requirements of distant peoples who have been brought near to us by sure and swift steam communication. The Waiareka Dairy Faotory's first shipment of this season's make of checae was forwarded to Australia per Rotomahana on Thursday last. It consists of two tons, which have been sold at a satisfactory price. With a full supply of milk and a market for their products, there is every prospect of a profitable seasdnj which we (North Otago Times) hope may be such as will induce others to assist tho undertaking by taking up the unallotted shares. This would enable the directors to add to the plant, and thus increase the profits. Several settlers in the West Plains district, who took up land some years ago under the deferred - payment system, find themselves seriously embarrassed by the low price of produce. They have memorialised the Minister of Lands as follows :— (1) " That your memorialists took up land on deferred payment some years ago at a time when produce brought remunerative prices. That they undertook to pay sums varying ft'om £10 to £11 5s per acre for bush land, and they have since struggled to keep up their payments. (2) That of late the value of produce has declined to such an extent as to render it utterly impossible for them to continue the payments on tho scale agreed upon. That they earnestly request your serious consideration oi their position with a view to a rearrangement of terms. They have spent much labour ou the improvement of their holdings, from which thoy will, unless saved by wise legislative action, be driven." The fallowing extract from the Wairarapa Daily will be of interest to farmers and others : — "Mr R Gray, of the firm of Messrs Roid and Gray, agricultural implement manufacturers, Dunedin, who attended the shows in this district in the interests of their firm, gave a trial of their patent mole drain plough, on the Lansdowne estate on Saturday, at the request of Mr H. Williams and others interested. Mr Gray soon had the plough, with eight horses attached, in the ground, commencing with a drain 12in deep, and increased the depth to 20m in a most satisfactory manner. The ground was afterwards opened out in several places, when a. perfect underground drain was disclosed, already carrying away the water. Mr Williams was so satisfied with the result that he at once became tho purchaser.